Hand-operated tool.



PATENTED MAY-22, 1906.

H. D. BARTLETT. HAND OPERATED TOOL.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 7. 1905.

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HARRY n. sAnrhniri oFbi iicaeo, ILLINOIS.

HAND-OPERATED TOOL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

'ratented may 22, 1 906.

Application filed September '7 1905. Serial No. 277,847.

T0 at whom it may concern:

Be it known thatI, HARRY D. BARTLETT, a citizen of the United States,residing at Ohicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented a certain new and useful Improvement in Hand-Operated Tools, ofwhich the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of thisspecification.

My invention relates to tools that are manually rotated in theiroperationsuch, for example, as screw-driversand has for its object theprovision of an improved mounting for the handle of the tool thatwillpermit the stem of the tool to be disposed longitudinally of the handleor transverse of the handle, the

device of my present invention being an improvement uponthe inventionshown in Patent No. 428,662, granted to Marcus J. Bartlett May 27, 1890.

view on line 4 4. of Fig. 1.

The device of my invention includes a short angular extension of thestem of the tool and a displaceable abutment adapted to engage the topof said angular extension when said stem is disposed longitudinally ofthe handle, whereby the handle and stem are very securely maintained inalinement.

Upon the displacement of this abutment the stem of the tool may beangularly disposed to the handle to secure better purchase upon thetool.

I will explain my inventionmore fully by reference to the accompanyingdrawings,

showing the preferred embodiment thereof,

in which Figure 1 is a longitudinal elevation with the tool blade andhandle in line. Fig. 2 is a view in elevation with the tool blade andhandle at right angles to each other. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectionalview of so much of the structure as is necessary to fully illustrate myinvention. Fig. 4 is a sectional Fig. 5 is a sectional view on line 5 5of Fig. ,1.

Like characters are indicated by similar characters of referencethroughout the different figures.

' The blade a of the tool (which tool in this instance is ascrew-driver) is bent at the top to form a right-angular extension I),and the elbow between the main and extension portions of the blade ispivotally connected to the handle 0 at a point intermediate between theends of the handle, a pintle cl passing through the sides of the handleand blade, so that the main and angular extensions of the blade mayengage the bottom of the groove according to the adjustment of the tool.A displaceable abutment e is pivoted atf, one end of'the abutmentserving to engage the top of the extension 5 near its free end, a springg serving normally to maintain this engagement when the blade of thetool is longitudinal of the handle, the pivot fbeing between the springg and that end of the abutment e that engages the extension I). A lug hprevents the spring 9 from thrusting the abutment too far toward thepintle d, so that the engagement between the abutment and the extensionI) may be securely maintained to hold the blade in line with the handle.WVhen it'is desired to increase the purchase upon the tool, the bladeshould be placed at right angles to the handle, to which end theabutment is manually depressed in opposition to the spring 9, so as torelease the engagement between said abutment and the extension (Z,whereafter the blade may be swung at right angles to the handle.

It will be seen that by engaging the top surface of the extension I)with a locking device instead of engaging the side, as is the case withthe device of the aforesaid patent, a very positive and sure connectionis afforded between the handle and the blade without weakening the bladestructure.

Having thus described my invention, I

claim as new and desire to secure by Letters.

Patent- 1. A tool, including a handle, the toolblade pivoted between theends of the handle and adapted to be placed substantially in line withthe handle and to be swung at an angle to the handle and provided withan angular extension, an abutment pivoted upon the handle and serving toengage the top of the extension to hold the handle and toolblade inline, a spring for normally maintaining the abutment in engagement withsaid extension when the tool blade and handle are in line, and a lugprovided upon the handle and serving to engage the abutment to prevent.the spring from moving the abutment out of its said normal position.

2. A tool, including a handle, the toolblade pivoted between the ends ofthe handle and adapted to be placed substantially in ICC the tool-bladeis rotated.

3. A tool, including a handle, the toolblade pivoted between the ends ofthe handle and adapted to be placed substantially in line with thehandle and to be swung at an angle to the handle and provided with anangular extension, and a manually-operable abutment pivoted upon thehandle and serving to engage the top of the extension to hold the handleand tool-blade in line said abutment when manually operated escapingsaid angu lar extension as the tool-blade is rotated.

4. A tool, including a handle, the toolblade pivoted between the ends ofthe handle and adapted to be placed substantially in line with thehandle and to be swung at an angle to the handle and provided with anangular extension, and a manually-operable locking device engaging thetop of the extension to maintain the blade in line with the handle saidlocking device, when manually operated, escaping said extension as thetool-blade is rotated.

In witness whereof I hereunto subscribe my name this 4th day ofSeptember, A. D.

- HARRY D. BARTLETT. lVitnesses:

G. L. CRAGG, LEON Srnon.

